Terracotta and Wine: a conference and two days of wine tasting and enlightenment on wine in amphora from Italy and around the world. The discovery of an “ancient future”
Impruneta, November 4, 2016 – On the 19th – 20th November – Impruneta (Florence) in the historical building of “Fornace Agresti” we will see the return of the 2nd edition of “Terracotta and Wine”, the two-day event entirely devoted to amphora wines, open to the general public with wine tasting sessions and conventions on the ancient practice of winemaking in terracotta. The event is sponsored by the Cultural Association “La terracotta e il vino” whose founding member is Leonardo Parisi owner of Artenova, producer of terracotta wine-jars from Impruneta. The appointment, returns after two years, reflecting the growing interest of contemporary viticulture towards this ancient method of wine production. “Terracotta and Wine 2016” will bring together 40 Italian and foreign producers in a truly international Convention where wineries from all over the world (Australia, New Zealand, USA and many European countries) will share their experiences on the use of wine making in amphora, creating a great opportunity to taste and compare these extraordinary wines fermented and aged in terracotta.
At the exhibition stands there will be prestigious Tuscan and national wine producers Foradori, Albino Armani, 1701 Franciacorta present among the hundred labels available for tasting. This also includes terracotta-refined beers. In the programme of the event there are two guided wine tasting sessions and a high-level technical conference on Oenological Science and Archaeology. One of the novelties of 2016 will be the wine shop inside “Fornace Agresti” where it will be possible to buy some of the wines of the participating producers. The Council of Impruneta and the Archaeological Museum of Montelupo are among the promoters of the event whose organization this year is again entrusted to the coordination of Sergio Bettini, a long standing consultant of Artenova right from their first years of experimental choices, which have propelled the company from Impruneta to becoming a world leader in the production of terracotta wine -jars for professional use.
The PROGRAMME for Saturday, November 19th. The doors of the event open at 10.00 and the conference begins at 11.00 with a series of technical conferences, the first by Francesco Bartoletti and Adriano Zago on “Metals and wine in amphorae, analytical surveys and state of the art”, the second entitled “The influence of fermentation and refinement in terracotta jars based on the characteristics of wine “ a study by the Department of Chemistry, University of Florence commissioned by Artenova. The next intervention is entrusted to the International journalist Dr Paul White, wine expert and award-winning correspondent for “The World of Fine Wine” entitled “Burn your barrels, Clay is here to stay! ” describing the newest trend in winemaking inspired by the ancient winemaking techniques of Georgia and Portugal. The technical conference will end with ” The Amphora of Empoli“ by Archaeologist Ilaria Alfani and Marzio Cresci director of the Archaeological Museum of Montelupo, who will also talk about the constitution of a network of museums to divulge the ancient traditions of winemaking in terracotta. The afternoon resumes at 15.00, with a World-First wine tasting session entitled ” A meeting of long lost cousins after 2000 years!” Amphora wine producers from Georgia and Portugal meet for a comparison between the two oldest amphora wine traditions in the world. The session will be conducted by journalist Paul White with an introduction by Irakli Cholobargia representing the National Wine Agency of Georgia with the two oldest Talha wine producers Pedro Ribeiro and Domingos Soares Franco who will represent Portugal with mediator Oenologist Francesco Bartoletti. It will be the first time that Portuguese and Georgian producers will meet around a table to taste each other’s wines and exchange winemaking experiences. The afternoon continues at 17.30 with the screening of a video documentary by Guillaume Bodin “Wine, Women and Bio-dynamics” presented by Adriano Zago. The day closes at 19.00 hrs.
The PROGRAMME for Sunday, November 20th – The event opens at 10.00 and the first item on the programme is a guided wine tasting session, at 11.30, entitled “Island Amphora wines from Sardinia and the Tuscan Archipelago” Adriano Zago, Winemaker and Agronomist and Oenologist Francesco Bartoletti both technical advisers of Artenova, will guide us in a wine tasting of bio-dynamic and organic wine producers who have chosen winemaking in amphora as a tool to integrate their own unique interpretation of a practice very close to their particular “terroir” influenced by the sea and the sun of some of the most beautiful of the Italian islands.
On Sunday afternoon (15,00 hrs), a space will be reserved for the presentation of the book “Voyage en amphore” by Japanese photographers Keiko Kato and Maika Masuko.
The event closes at 19.00 hrs.
The entrance fee to the event is 15 Euro, which includes a wine glass and is valid for two days. Visitors will have the opportunity to taste the wines aged in amphorae present at the exhibition stands and attend the various initiatives of the event. However, a reservation is required for the guided wine tasting sessions on Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning while the technical conferences on Saturday morning are free admission. “Terracotta and Wine 2016” will be on social networks. Live tweeting during the conference and wine tasting sessions. To post comments and photos of the event please use the hashtag # terracottaevino2016 and for info on social networks see the events website simonep16.sg-host.com.
Press Office Paola Baroni – Cultural Association “La terracotta e il vino” – Impruneta – via Europa 10-12
